Cruddy Image Quality with HD Camcorder in Low Light Stuations
 

I have a Canon Vixia HF-20 HD camcorder about 3 years old,I mainly got it because it has audio/mic input and audio/headphone output..Perfect for filming musicians and myself playing music, and routing sound direct from mixer/audio equip. to camera with video at same time,...But the big problem is most of this is done in low light situations, and the video looks jiggly and wiggly under these conditions:depressed:..At Night I tried lighting my room with a mix of different types of bulbs (incandescent and modern flourescent "twisty" bulbs),and still crappy video,and I think the light sensors in camera got "confused" by the different types of lites I was using (I have cam's HDMI output to big TV for real time viewing),and sometimes it looked too red, or weird color....My question is; Is there a particular type of light bulb that mimics daylight?..are there certain types of lites that generate a frequency or waves that play havock with the camcorder's light sensors?..is there a recommended type of bulb to use in Low light conditions for better quality?..or am I just plain out of luck,and have to spend more money on another cam or DSLR that takes good low light video???:smack:...I have tried all the "Programed" light settings in cam (Low Light,Night scene,Ect..) but low light image is still distgustingly poor!:screwy:

Can you post an image sample?

jmac, you've got a PM. I have a box of goodies here for you. ;)

rocko, some cameras are simply not very good at low light. In fact, most are not. That something where you need superior glass to get decent light, coupled with a really good sensor. Something is old as that Vixia just isn't going to do it for you. It was one of the first HD consumer camcorders, and is now a 5-year-old model. For digital camera ISO performance, that's ancient. Thankfully, they've made some amazing progress in recent years, and the earlier of those came out for pros in 2010. In more recent times, those sensors have found (and are still finding) their way into consumer cameras. DSLRs especially, but video is getting them too.

I can make two suggestions; post-processing or better lighting.

Post-Processing

Fancy method: get a color checker card http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...cker_Card.html
This printed card has precise color patches. Film this card next to your subject. Details to process your video afterwards to be worked out later.

Simple method: use a piece of white cardstock and hold it next to the subject. It's a much simpler process to achieve whitebalance against this.

Even simpler method: we can teach you to use the whitebalance controls of some video editor.

Lighting method

Simple approach: could try 1 or 2blue colored light bulbs along with/or a white light bulb on a two-bulb lamp. You could also try spotlight bulbs that are marked as daylight color. Would be nice if you could find some kind of swivel attachment so you can put it in the ceiling socket and use like a real spotlight.
http://www.swivelier.com/id20.htm
http://www.lightbulbs-direct.com/bul...ylight&cat=all

More pro: I believe led arrays are the latest in lighting. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search...45&srtclk=sort
Starting at $49,$89 These are really excellent and give perfect daylight, only problem with the cheaper ones is that there's not enough light output, unless you put it basically next to the music stand. You could probably get 2-3 of the cheaper ones and put them around, that could be pretty nice. Haven't tried it myself.

If looking at bulbs, look for a color temperature of 5000 or more. 3000 is the yellowish light of incandescent, equivalent to sunrise color, and 5500 is a standard for average noon daylight (which varies a lot). 6000+ is for a cloudy day. The 5500 one would be best matched to the daylight setting of your camcorder.

Than you L.S. and jmac!, due to budget,I need to try and make this cam I already have work,I may try some of the bulbs n stuff suggested,plus the white balance settings..and transfer audio tapes to digital...and get to capturing VHS to digital...and learn audio DAW interface recording...and get to bed!!(work always seems to get in the way!):wall1: